It’s been a hectic few weeks here at Castro Valley Fitness. Like everyone else we’re starting to get ready for the holidays. People are working hard at the gym.
We are pretty busy here, as I’m sure you are with your life, and when you’re busy, sometimes it can be hard to take a step back and see some things that have been going on.
Here is a short list of things some of our members have told me over the past few weeks:
One of our members remarked how much more stable she felt as she went on some long hikes over a weekend trip
One of our members told me that this was the best he’s ever felt and the most consistent he’s ever been with any kind of exercise
One of our members said that she was able to run 10 gates to catch a flight after her connecting flight landed 45 minutes late
One of our members told me she was better able to pick up her child
One of our members tripped over something in her kitchen and fell pretty hard sliding across her floor. She was able to get right back up with just a few bruises to show for it
I think we can all agree that the ability to do all these things is pretty good. It’s empowering. These are the kinds of things we can point to as being conducive to living a better and fuller life.
I want to point out one more thing.
None of these things is about losing weight.
Please let that sink in.
Yes it’s true that being better able to do some of these things might result in weight loss, but if weight loss is your main focus then I believe you are missing the proverbial forest through the trees.
I don’t see a scale in this picture
What I mean is that if your only focus is a number some appliance tells you then you’re missing what really matters. Being able to enjoy a trip, being able to avoid injury, being able to play with your kids or grandkids. Aren’t all these things more important?
If so, why do so many of us let that number determine how we feel about ourselves and our progress? Does that seem healthy?
Is it healthy that we tell ourselves losing weight is good for us only to feel shame and stress every time we eat?
Is it OK that we’re made to feel like failures when we don’t lose weight as easily as the model in that Facebook post or magazine article tells us we should?
Does it seem right that we can live better, fuller and more vital lives and still feel we haven’t accomplished anything because of what our scale tells us?
I don’t think any of those things feel right or healthy at all. Not in the slightest.
Now this is the part when I challenge you to try something. I want you to try and adjust your thinking a little bit. Instead of your success being determined by an external force (your scale) I want you to go a little deeper.
I want you to think about what you really want. What will mean something to you and allow you to live that more vital life we’re talking about.
Is it
being able to walk longer distances
having more energy to play with your kids or grandkids
feeling less pain
getting stronger so you can remain independent
or is it something else entirely?
Whatever it is, I’m sure that losing weight isn’t at the core of what you really want.
So I’ll ask you one more time:
What do you really want?
Mitch Rothbardt, CPT, PAS, PN Level 2 Castro Valley Fitness 2861 Grove Way 510-755-9191 Mitch@CastroValleyFitness.com
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